Procurement Clerks
Compile information and records to draw up purchase orders for procurement of materials and services.
Also called: Buyer · Procurement Assistant · Procurement Officer · Procurement Specialist · Purchasing Assistant · Purchasing Associate
Median pay (national)
$48,510
$36,810–$65,890 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
59,900
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-8.7%
~4,600 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for procurement clerks shows a relatively narrow range: the top 10% earn $65,890 versus $36,810 at the bottom 10% — 1.8x. The median of $48,510 leaves roughly 36% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -8.7% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 4,600 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 53 states with released data, District of Columbia pays the most for this role (median $63,610, +31% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $23,450 — a 171% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Track the status of requisitions, contracts, and orders.
- Approve and pay bills.
- Maintain knowledge of all organizational and governmental rules affecting purchases, and provide information about these rules to organization staff members and to vendors.
- Determine if inventory quantities are sufficient for needs, ordering more materials when necessary.
- Respond to customer and supplier inquiries about order status, changes, or cancellations.
- Perform buying duties when necessary.
- Prepare purchase orders and send copies to suppliers and to departments originating requests.
- Calculate costs of orders, and charge or forward invoices to appropriate accounts.
- Compare prices, specifications, and delivery dates to determine the best bid among potential suppliers.
- Contact suppliers to schedule or expedite deliveries and to resolve shortages, missed or late deliveries, and other problems.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- SAP software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Windows
- Oracle Database
- Oracle PeopleSoft
- Autotask
- Electronic data interchange EDI software
- IBM Maximo Asset Management
- Inventory tracking software
- Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
- Radiant Systems CounterPoint
Knowledge areas
- English Language
- Administrative
- Customer and Personal Service
- Economics and Accounting
- Administration and Management
- Mathematics
- Computers and Electronics
- Transportation